the Ultimate HOW TO Guide…

 

It is a little silly to think about, but the thought kept crossing my mind today that there are no original thoughts. To me it makes sense that the Bible was the first written text and therefore the original thought; and even that has been translated over and over again. However, it was never left to just one individual and only their perception of what he thought was intended for each verse…

I function best with step-by-step instruction. Take for instance a piece of furniture from IKEA. The picture on the box shows you exactly what you are going to get, what the end result will look like. But, if left to my own imagination to determine how to get from point A to point B, or even a modified version of instructions, I may be able to eventually find my way, but it will not usually look as it was intended to or perhaps not as strong as it should be. And it is sure to cause me a lot of strife in the process…

This applies to almost all things in my life, but most specifically when it came to my walk with Christ. I felt I needed the same. I needed a HOW TO guide or step-by-step instruction manual to know how to live as a good Christian woman worthy of His great love. My biggest problem, I found there is a LOT of shortcuts available that ALWAYS seemed more appealing and easier and comfortable than actually reading the Bible itself.

Fear would drop thoughts of doubt and convince me not to read the living word because “it’s boring”, “I wont be able to understand it”, “it will confuse me”, or be “too intense”, “too long”….and I was always quick to find an “easier option”…Devotionals are amazing, and completely doable…but nothing compared to allowing the Bible to come alive in me….

Don’t settle for the cliff notes version of the Bible

In our microwaveable, must-have-right-now culture, I was willing to settle for someone else’s summary of the word. BUT this was not the way it was intended. The word is alive and living in me. It is perceived and received differently for every individual and every time it is read the Lord will see fit to apply it to my life differently. This is how it was intended. So…how could I ever fully receive the blessings from the Lord if I was settling for someone else’s perception of it…?

The truth…I WASN’T.

God is a jealous God. He wants our full attention. He wants me to come ONLY to Him.

“You must worship no other gods, for the LORD, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.” Exodus 34:14

I was seeking the perfect example of how God wanted me to live my life. I prayed, “Lord just show me HOW to do this and I will do it”…. What do you think was the response…?

You have it Krissa. I sent my son Jesus to walk among you. To show you. To be the example. To be the ultimate sacrifice so you will never have to try to be perfect. You will find that instruction manual…that HOW TO guide in my word….just open it…and TRUST….TRUTH will be among those pages….I promise this to you…

He was there…just as He promised. When I was ready, I opened that Bible that had been collecting dust on my desk….and He met me there…and He came alive in me…and a new fire began to burn inside me…

The door was opened. I walked through. He met me there. This is true to any and ALL experiences of my life right now.

I now see life through the Lord’s eyes. And I see not only how I can be a reflection of His love for me to the world, but the world around me is a refection of who I am in Him or not in Him…this began a very painful, yet freeing experience of becoming aware of my ways of being and my idols and how I needed to be the change I want to see…….

It began with surrender….